Play Fetch and bring the Next Round of Drinks

The Rules of the now Upside Down World

Since the summer Joy has been filling me in on some of the details. Having her on skype has been handy too for if I ever have any questions, but by now I feel like I'm just been annoying rather than curious. Apparently, if I survive my first transformation I'll be able to call upon the curse to give me minor boosts when ever a load of adrenaline is released. Fight or flight, I can be an Olympic standard runner or that big burly guy that sits on his own at the bar.

It has been twenty seven days since I got the scratch on my leg and tomorrow will be the full moon when I'll turn into a horrifying creature of the night. So far I've only told only my most trusted friend and he laughed at me, great...

Now comes the decision of where would be safe to transform, tomorrow will be the 30th of September and a friend's birthday that I'll have to bail on. Anyway, near where I live aren't any large forests but there is a large maize field. The tall crops would keep me hidden from site but I'd easily be able to leave it and maul some children in a nearby housing estate. So in the end I guess I'll just have to go into the woods near my gran's house.

Joy had warned me of this but right now I'm really craving meat. Already I'd got through two quarter pounders from McDonalds in the afternoon but now that it's getting late I'm hungry again. I search through the fridge for something meaty, perhaps I can make a ham sandwich. Ham!

I hold the ham in my hands, look at the bread and back to my hands. An empty packet. I begin to feel something sliding down my throat. My stomach still feels hollow and all I see left in the fridge I the packet of bacon. I look over my shoulder for a moment. Breath. Close my eyes.

Gone, another empty packet lying in my hand, something salty at the back of my throat while I stand there confused. I'd better go upstairs and try to sleep it off.

Sunday, usually a day I'd sleep through until lunch but with the approach of the full moon I have become restless. I leave my house as the sun rises and go for a jog. I reach the next town before my breathing increases, after an hour of straight running I find myself tiring. As I look around it looks like I've done a loop of neighbouring towns. In the distance I see the nearby retail outlet which lays not far from my home.

I turn around and see almost endless fields between here and a much further town. Plenty of fields with lots of trees to separate them, this place would be perfect. I set off home and hope to not drive myself insane with hunger and energy.

 The day passes very slowly and my only relief is the joint of lamb served at dinner. Its tender meat that fell apart and soft fat that slid away from my meal. I get distracted easily on full moons apparently. I've managed to stage that I'll be sleeping at a friends and set off so I can get as deep as I can into those fields to transform. No facebook notifications, all clear to set off.

I end up finding a good spot in the woods after two hours worth of bus formed transport. I walk around the big lake past a few late night carp fishermen and pass into the thin sliver of forest that remains here. The moon is rising but the sun still hasn't quite left us in peace, twilight

I find a decent spot to hide my clothes, a small over hanging bit of rock should keep them dry if it rains despite the clear sky. That was the problem, no clouds shrouded what would quickly become my nemesis. The moon loomed over the forest creating a silhouette of branches around the opening Id chosen to transform in. Then it happened.

My strength left me, all that remained was my inner consciousness which could only serve as a monologue for the forth coming events. Every muscle in my body contracted at once, clenching my body into a tight vice. Even my diaphragm contracted and pushed every wisp of air from my lungs.

Inhalation.

My body treated this oxygen as if it were the last it would ever have. It used it to elongate my arms, laying me on my back my arms stretched and grew. My finger nails felt like they were ripping away from my body but they weren't. My hands were long and my fingers bent backwards and curled. To my surprise my next gasp of air finished the job. My hands were long with pads for fingers and vicious claws that were the size of my old fingers.

Next my legs straightened. I managed to get onto my front supported by my grotesque arms that had begun sprouting hair all over. My feet lengthened to be the length that my arm had been originally. My toe nails grew out into claws like those of my hands. Next my calves burned as new muscle formed.

Now on all fours my spine took its chance to change. Each vertebrae grew larger in each direction. My shoulder blades puffed up like shields for any danger I may face. I then felt additional bones forming, I had a long bony tail that would hopefully have grown fur the next time I looked.

Finally my lips began to rip at the sides, all I could taste was the blood from my teeth growing longer and into sharper shapes. The front of my face lurched forward, my nose and front teeth finally forming a snout. Following that my ears stretched and I could do much more with them than just lift them slightly. Then to finish I felt a warm static feeling wash over my body, my summer coat.

I was a monster. I had an appetite.